Yuan Luoxi and company all picked up on the displeasure in Zhang Yuanxing’s tone. It caught them all off guard. This guy sure has gall. How can he talk to Mystic Master Su like that?

Then, they seemed to realize something. Zhang Yuanxing most likely doesn’t understand Mystic Master Su’s capabilities, just like us when we first met him…

A strange light shone in Yuan Luoxi’s eyes. Indescribable shame and discomfort coursed through her. When she first met Su Yi, she was far more brazen than Zhang Yuanxing was now. Looking back, I was really stupid…

Cheng Wuyong coughed dryly and explained, “Young Master Zhang, you’ve misunderstood. We and Mys—... Young Lord Su were just traveling together.”

As he spoke, he suddenly recalled Su Yi’s warning against revealing what had happened in Mother Ghost Ridge. That was why he changed Su Yi’s title from “Mystic Master” to “Young Lord.”

“Is that really the case?” Zhang Yuanxing was stunned, and he didn’t seem fully convinced.

“Zhang Yuanxing, is my business with Young Lord Su any of your concern? Actually, I’m the one who ought to be asking questions. Why are you here?” Yuan Luoxi furrowed her brow and interrogated him coldly.

Zhang Yuanxing hurriedly laughed, “Miss Luoxi, I heard you were in Guangling City too, so I asked around and learned that you’d led a group to Mother Ghost Ridge. I decided to wait here for you.”

Yuan Luoxi gazed coldly at him. “And why has the glorious young master of the Zhang Family taken it upon himself to wait for me? If you have no other business with me, get out of my way!”

In the Cloudriver Prefectural Capital, both the Yuan and Zhang families were among the four peak-level factions.

In terms of both status and cultivation, Yuan Luoxi wasn’t the least bit inferior to Zhang Yuanxing. In some ways, she even surpassed him. There was naturally no need to be polite to him.

Zhang Yuanxing’s smile went a little rigid, and he inwardly felt stifled. In the past, Yuan Luoxi wasn’t so impatient with me! What’s going on?

Just as he was about to say something, he saw Yuan Luoxi turn to look at Su Yi, her oval face carrying a hint of nervous anticipation. “Young… Young Lord Su, how about we get something to eat in the city?

Zhang Yuanxing’s pupils constricted, and doubt rose within his heart. What’s going on here? 

Cheng Wuyong smiled too. “That’s right. Without you and Elder Guo, we never would have found the spiritual medicine we were looking for in Mother Ghost Ridge. Now that we’ve returned to the city, it’s only right that we arrange a banquet to express our regard.” 

When he saw this, Zhang Yuanxing’s jaw practically dropped. 

He knew full well that Cheng Wuyong was an elder of the Yuan Family, as well as a peak Qi Accumulation Realm expert. In terms of status, he wasn't inferior to Zhang Yuanxing’s Uncle Xiong.

Seeing Cheng Wuyong treat Su Yi with such respect, it was inevitable that Zhang Yuanxing would be stunned!

“Sure.” Su Yi nodded.

Dawn had passed, and morning had come. Hunger was already gnawing at his stomach.

Yuan Luoxi instantly broke into a radiant, moving smile. “That’s wonderful! Let’s go right away. I heard that the Immortal Gathering House is the best restaurant in the city, so let’s go there!”

“Elder Guo, you should come too.” Cheng Wuyong smiled at Guo Bing.

Guo Bing hurriedly clasped his fist. “It would be my honor!”

Then, without any further ado, the whole group set off.

From beginning to end, none of them paid Zhang Yuanxing any further heed.

“Uncle Xiong, can you tell what’s happening here?” Zhang Yuanxing furrowed his brow. He felt thoroughly unpleasant. He was the young master of the Zhang Family, yet they’d completely ignored him!

“When Yuan Luoxi went looking for the medicine picker, Guo Bing, Su Yi was there too. The information you obtained yesterday said as much. It also said that all of them went to Mother Ghost Ridge together.” Uncle Xiong murmured, “From the look of things, Su Yi and Guo Bing helped Yuan Luoxi find the medicine they came here in search of. That’s presumably why they’re so grateful?”

“That’s right! It seems I’m overthinking this!” Zhang Yuanxing clapped his hands, and the scowl disappeared from his brow. “Uncle Xiong, let’s go! We’re going to the Immortal Gathering House too!”

When he saw Zhang Yuanxing regain his usual high spirits, Uncle Xiong couldn’t help but warn him, “Young Master, Yuan Luoxi is the Yuan Family Head’s youngest and most spoiled daughter, and her maternal grandfather is the famous ‘Jingyuan Marquis’, Gu Chenfeng. He’s famous for his temper, and he once said that if anyone sets his sights on Yuan Luoxi before she turns eighteen, he’ll sever all three of the offender’s legs!”

Zhang Yuanxing’s smile froze, and he unwittingly clenched his legs. “What’s there to be afraid of? I’m just trying to make friends for now. Even if there’s a chance of making this a proper marriage, I can just wait until she turns eighteen.”

Uncle Xiong said, “But Young Master, you ought to know that Yuan Luoxi has been thoroughly spoiled from a young age, and she’s proud and unreasonable. If you want to pursue her…. You’ll have to mentally prepare yourself first.”

Zhang Yuanxing nodded animatedly. “Her wildness is the thing I like best about her. She’s like a wild horse; you can’t help but want to tame her….”

Uncle Xiong made no further attempts to persuade him. He’d been around the block before, and he knew that when it came to pursuing women, young men wouldn’t give up or lower their heads without first falling flat on their face a few times.

Meanwhile, in the Immortal Gathering House.

It was still early in the morning, so the building was mostly empty, with few guests.

But when he learned that the daughter of the prefectural capital’s Yuan Family had come to dine, the owner, Yue Tianhe, struggled free from his concubine’s tender embrace and rushed over to the restaurant at top speeds.

He had a servant fetch an aged wine he’d been saving for years. Then, he followed the serving girl delivering their food into the private room on the second floor of the Immortal Gathering House.

His face was nothing but warm, welcoming smiles. He was just about to bow and introduce himself when he froze and gasped, “Su…. Su Yi?”

The sizable private dining room currently sat just four people: Su Yi, Guo Bing, Yuan Luoxi, and Cheng Wuyong.

And Su Yi sat calmly in the seat of honor!

Yue Tianhe was so shocked, his jaw practically fell off.

He naturally knew Su Yi, and he knew better than most that this young man wasn’t just some ordinary live-in son-in-law. Even City Lord Fu Shan and Commander Nie Beihu treated him with the utmost respect.

News of Su Yi taking first place at the recent Dragon’s Gate Banquet had already spread throughout Guangling City. How could someone like Yue Tianhe remain in the dark? 

But he still never would have guessed that this early in the morning, the daughter of the prefectural capital’s Yuan Family would host Su Yi at his restaurant, and furthermore, that he’d be the guest of honor!

For a moment, Yue Tianhe forgot the greetings and self-introductions he’d prepared. 

“Who are you?” asked Yuan Luoxi. She certainly didn’t recognize Yue Tianhe.

Yue Tianhe jumped, then hurriedly bowed, his face nothing but smiles. “Young Miss Yuan, I’m the owner of the Immortal Gathering House. When I heard that you’d graced us with your presence, I came to offer you a pot of quality wine as a humble token of my respect.”

As he spoke, he proffered it to her.

“Oh,” said Yuan Luoxi. “Do you recognize Myst—… Young Lord Su too?”

Yue Tianhe hurriedly said, “How could I not know an illustrious youth like Young Lord Su? He’s a first-class celebrity within Guangling City, and I admire him from the bottom of my heart….”

The words came out in an unceasing torrent. He praised Su Yi with the utmost enthusiasm, clearly trying to indicate that he and Su Yi were on good terms.

But when he saw Su Yi’s aloof expression, Cheng Wuyong picked up the hint. He coughed drily and interrupted Yue Tianhe’s endless stream of compliments. “Thank you. You can go back for now.” 

Yue Tianhe knew better than to push. He nodded repeatedly, but before he left, he didn’t forget to bid Su Yi farewell. “Young Lord Su, if you need anything, anything at all, just say the word. I’ll be waiting downstairs, ready to assist at a moment’s notice.”

“You really can’t get rid of this guy.” Su Yi laughed after Yue Tianhe finally left, and the others laughed along.

In short, the atmosphere was pretty good.

But even after returning to the front desk, Yue Tianhe felt dazed. His thoughts kept returning to the same question—

When exactly did Su Yi finagle his way into the Yuan Family’s good graces?

Suddenly, a crisp, hearty voice rang out. “Owner, which private room is the Yuan Family’s Yuan Luoxi dining in?” 

Yue Tianhe looked up, and when he saw who this new arrival was, he couldn’t help but gasp. He shot forward with a toadyish smile. “Ah, so it’s Young Master Zhang!” 

This new arrival was none other than Zhang Yuanxing, who exclaimed, “You recognize me?”

Yue Tianhe smiled welcomingly and said, “Yesterday, I visited the city lord’s manor to deliver wine, and I had the good fortune of seeing you from afar. It was but a single glance, but your peerless grace and lofty bearing left an unforgettable impression on me. That’s why I recognized you as soon as you arrived.”

Hearing all this flattery made Zhang Yuanxing feel great, but outwardly, he said, “Enough of that. Hurry and lead me to see Miss Luoxi.”

Yue Tianhe hurriedly did what he was told, practically groveling. 

Zhang Yuanxing and Uncle Xiong followed him. When they arrived at the door to their private room, Zhang Yuanxing adjusted his clothes and mentally reviewed the excuse he’d prepared.

Then, he opened the door, and in the face of Yuan Luoxi’s baffled gaze, he apologetically cupped his fist.

“Luoxi, I misunderstood Young Lord Su earlier, so I came here to apologize. Please don’t kick me out.” This was the excuse he’d prepared. He was using Su Yi as an entry point, cleverly preventing anything Yuan Luoxi might say to refuse him a seat at the table. 

As expected, Yuan Luoxi’s expression softened. This left Zhang Yuanxing pleased with his own skill, but he also felt a hint of wordless irritation.

Why is bringing up Su Yi so effective with her?

“You said you’re here to apologize to me?” said Su Yi, a strange look on his face.

Zhang Yuanxing walked right up to him and helped himself to a seat, a broad smile on his face. “I misunderstood you earlier. Here I thought you’d joined the Yuan Family, but it turns out that you did Luoxi a huge favor….”

After explaining himself, he raised his wineglass and said, “I’ll start by taking three penalty drinks!”

After draining his glass repeatedly, he glanced at the door to the private room. Yue Tianhe was still standing there, just outside the room.

Zhang Yuanxing couldn’t help but frown. “Can’t you take a hint? Hurry up and close the door!”

Yue Tianhe quivered, smiled hurriedly, and left, shutting the door behind him.

Tidal waves of shock coursed through his heart, and when he returned to the front desk, he slumped as if he’d lost his soul.

The daughter of the Yuan Family has made him her guest of honor, and the young master of the Zhang Family came to apologize to him in person? Since when was Su Yi in such high demand?

Yue Tianhe just couldn’t wrap his head around it.

It took me decades of bitter toil just to become the owner of the Immortal Gathering House. How old is that kid? Yet he’s already extended his reach to two of the prefectural capital’s peak-level factions… It’s really…. It really makes no damn sense!

When he compared himself to Su Yi, Yue Tianhe couldn’t help but feel as if he’d lived all these years in vain. 

The author seems to have switched "Elder Xiong" for "Uncle Xiong." Let's wait a few chapters and see which one he settles into. Then, I'll go back and clarify.

Writing this mostly to say that yes, they're the same person. This is a (minor) author error. I would guess it's because of "Uncle Yong". Uncle Xiong is like Zhang Yuanxing's Uncle Yong equivalent. 

Edit: Just gonna go back and fix this. It's all "Uncle Xiong" from here!